Steve Round | Page 3 | Vital Football

Steve Round

OK so it now looks as if this could be part of the culling process that paves the way for a takeover which will involve Simon Jordan in some capacity but he won't be the main player.

Not really mate, culling would usually be done by new owners in who would have their own staffing requirements
 
I cannot believe Steve Bruce will stay king with this total tool as owner. He’s been well and truly shafted.....as we all have.

Total and utter shambles and I just pray there is an end in sight
 
Steve Round was the last remaining proper football person in a senior role at the club. He was the one remaining who offered some hope. A genuinely good guy and intelligent. He’s also a private man so don’t expect him to dish any dirt. My guess is that he has decided to leave because he cannot, in good conscience, remain associated with and support what is going on at the club.
 
Season ticket sales up , the new away scheme sold out and all that happens is us fans get kicked in the bollocks.

And no to Simon Jordan , another failed business man , and a cockney chav we could do without.

I like Jordan and he speaks very highly of the club in general and made a good few points re financial fair play when everyone else were losing their heads. Yes he has failed but all the more wiser for it and we could end up with a hell of a lot worse
 
If there was ever the case of doing the wrong thing at the wrong time this is it. Financial matters apart, I could see a case at the end of the season for one or all of Wyness, Round and Bruce going, as they share the responsibility for the transfers of January 2017 not doing the trick, and the extra load of transfers the following summer. But that rather assumed that the owner was in full control (financially as well as everything else) and wanted a new team at the helm. As I said, I could see a case for it, even though I thought it wrong.

However, when we have financial meltdown, when we have an additional crisis in pre-season being upon us and the club effectively paralyzed, when to have any hope of getting through this we need what expertise we do have within the club pulling things together, then sacking the lynch pin of the football side of the club is not only diabolic, it is utterly stupid.

The only thing which might, and I emphasis might, justify this is if a change of ownership is just about to happen, and the new owner already has a team set up waiting to slot in place (the one parallel I can think of is Doug sacking DoL before Lerner actually took over). Even then, an abrupt change of critical staff is not what we need; there were a lot of positives last season, and we don't want those thrown away.

I hope Bruce stays, as that means if they want to get rid of him they'll have to sack him, and I think that will hurt Xia financially more than the club.

I also hope Jack refuses to go if they try to sell him, as that will help scupper any sell-off of assets.

As for Round, there was talk of interest from Arsenal before Xmas so I think he'll do all right.

The Mirror repeats the old rumour about Xia being a front for other investors, who may be wanting to see a return on their investments. Don't think they'll see that, but it would mean that Xia is now looking totally at how much money he can salvage. Not good for the club. Worrying times. Adminstration might be a good thing.
 
Am I bothered ? no what did he do , basically feck all as I've noticed .
Get some Villa men in who understand
 
Apparently Brucie now wants talks about his future and Tony has sent word from his gulag that Rongtian He is the man to conduct them. Now don't get me wrong I'm sure he's a really bright lad but I don't think he should be the person holding talks with the manager. Saying that there's nobody else about is there? Amateur hour.
 
If Bruce has any sense he will be off. I hope he stays personally as this could degenerate into a total fiasco. Not that its far off at the moment. Im hoping beyond hope that there is a method in this. Im not going to hold my breath waiting though.

The fans are going to have to support who ever turns out for the team. We could easily do a Sunderland otherwise. These clowns will go eventually and it will still be OUR Villa.
 
I would not blame Bruce at all if he walked. The bloke has been through the mill already this year and why should he stand any nonsense from an amateur and fraud of an owner. I hope he stays but I think it's looking bleaker by the day.
 
Apparently Brucie now wants talks about his future and Tony has sent word from his gulag that Rongtian He is the man to conduct them. Now don't get me wrong I'm sure he's a really bright lad but I don't think he should be the person holding talks with the manager. Saying that there's nobody else about is there? Amateur hour.
Bruce did not request the talks Bikini. I'll repeat what I said when this fiasco first started, we would be extremely lucky to keep him. He almost walked away from management before he came to Villa and I can certainly see him deciding that he's had enough of this circus. He saw Villa and the promises made by Xia as an opportunity to really make a mark at a truly big club. To quote John Gregory, Villa is currently being operated like a (bad) corner shop.... Bruce can walk away from football at any time and I for one would not blame him one bit. He's an honest and genuine bloke who deserves better....
 
Throughout the disasterous meltdown that began with our failure to gain promotion, I have tried to remain optimistic. It has however become apparent that the grand old lady that is Aston Villa has been used and abused by Dr X, the incompitent Chinese profiteer. What hurts most is that we, her loving children are being forced to stand by helplessly and watch.

We are now effectively a rudderless ship which has hit the rocks, expecting the captain to save it with a crew that may be forced to walk the plank any minute.

Had he been honest and made his intentions clear at the beginning of this debacle, Xia might have maintained some respect and trust. He must now understand that due to the clubs continued public humiliation and the total lack of communication regarding the surrounding events, his relationship with the people to whom the club really belongs, the fans, is beyond repair.

He cannot, as is apparently his wont, (even with investment secured through share sales) remain in control and expect to waltz back into Villa Park, tweeting away as if nothing has happened. How can he be trusted when he has allowed this humiliation to happen? He clearly never had the finances to maintain ownership under the circumstances which we find ourselves in.

He must accept his losses and sell as soon as possible. My biggest fear is that a buyer cannot be found and administration requires that our assests including property and players are sold. The worst case scenario that I thought could never happen.

Whatever happens, the only certainty is that the incredible support that this club inspires will ensure that the Phoenix will rise from the ashes.

The lesson we are reminded of is that football club owners, even with the best of intentions, are in it for their egos (if wealthy enough) and/or the profit. To be treated with caution and taken with a pinch of salt.
 
Last edited:
:stupid:

There appears to be willing buyers. But not, yet, ones acceptable to Xia. Is it because they're dodgy, or they don't fit in with his own personal goals?
 
Am I bothered ? no what did he do , basically feck all as I've noticed .
Get some Villa men in who understand
He wasn't in a role to be "noticed" although the dramatic improvements of the youth and scouting set-up and the acquisition of some very good players springs to mind.
Which "Villa men" do you suggest? The only one's that have had semblance of success in football or at the club have either retired or walked away from the game many moons ago.....
Round was doing a very efficient and professional job, and just as importantly was the ONLY member of the board with any practical football knowledge to advise and guide the idiot owner. With him gone we have a 25 year-old "super fan/personal assistant" and a Chinese lady who has an undefined role and to my knowledge has zero years of football knowledge or experience.
Brian Little, Ian Taylor and others have been marginalized by Xia in a similar manner to that used by Ellis to marginalize the entire European Cup winning squad and staff...
 
:stupid:

There appears to be willing buyers. But not, yet, ones acceptable to Xia. Is it because they're dodgy, or they don't fit in with his own personal goals?

Looks like Xia is desperate to save face and his reputation in China, but failing to appreciate that he has undone any positivity and trust that he may have generated with the people that matter. His credibilty is finished with the supporters as far as I can see. Like RL he should take the loss and move on swiftly, however I get the feeling we've not hit the bottom yet.